Leaving 6 month old for 2 weeks to go abroad? Advice needed

[brokenwithout]

Hi all,

My partner and I planned a trip long ago before we got our sweet little pup. We are now realizing that he’ll only be 6months old by the time we leave. It’ll be a 2 week trip abroad. Her idea is to leave him for 1 week with our trusted friends (which he’s close with) and 1 week at a dog boarding home/kennel.

My partner and I are have a discussion and the internet isn’t much help as it gives contrasting answers. I was hoping to get some advice/insight from other dog owners/experts who’ve been in a similar situation.

To me this doesn’t feel right. He’s still developing his bond with us at 6 months(which I was told is still ongoing at that age). I’m worried that this might cause some separation-anxiety or other behavioral issues down the line.

My suggestion was that I’d cut the trip short (7/8 days) and come back to pick him up from our friends, so he wouldn’t have to go to the boarding home/kennel. However I do wonder if I should just cancel the trip all together if he’s too young.

My partner thinks that he’ll have to get used to it anyway and that if we bring him there a couple days as test runs before the trip he’d be fine.

Am I being to worried? Any advice, tips and insight are appreciated.

 

[chasingvisions]

@brokenwithout I would definitely do some test runs regardless if you cancel the trip. Two nights at the boarding place, then wait a week and two nights with your friend. And get updates on how they handle it.

 

[castheantelope]

@chasingvisions This is a great suggestion!

 

[neverquit]

@brokenwithout You might want to consider having a dog sitter stay at your home with the dog. Since they’re in the place they last saw you, it can be much less traumatic for rejection/separation-anxious dogs.

Could your friends stay at your place? You could probably pay them less than the boarder, or what boarding would cost for the one week, but over two weeks.

 

[len1973]

@neverquit This is a really good suggestion. Keeping the pup at home would likely be way less stressful for everyone involved and hopefully the friend would be available to house sit the whole duration of the trip.
We went o vacation just a couple of weeks after getting our pup at 12 weeks old (trip was already paid for) and my SO’s brother stayed at our place and watched her for us. She was nervous the first day but adjusted by day 2. Now she’s 2.5 years old and still loves her uncle lol

 

[castheantelope]

@neverquit This is also a great suggestion!

 

[questionall]

@brokenwithout My dog is a rescue and I won an adoption. I had a flight booked that I wasn't missing and had to leave for 4weeks after having my rescue for 6. I left him with the trainer. Things where fine

Then I had to go away for three days and booked exec stay at the doggo Hotel. My boy is and was fine now

 

[libertas]

@brokenwithout This was many years ago, but I had my dog for only 3
Months and I went on vacation and left him with a trusted friend and he was completely fine. Instead of boarding at a facility look into having a sitter at your home where your scent is. Don’t cut your trip short. It will be fine.

 

[susannahlily]

@libertas This! The friends. And then a in home pet sitter.
The boarding. Def if this is an option take him on test stays.

 

[andreea777]

@brokenwithout Omg, cancel the trip? No. He'll be fine, bond will be fine. Hate yo say, but dog will prob have time of its life!

But good idea mentioned abv to havibe him stay a cpl nights at boarding so he knows it.

 

[idomesmiler]

@brokenwithout I think he will learn that you will come back. Maybe you should register him for a training program while you’re away.

 

[colossians323]

@brokenwithout If you can afford it, consider a board and train program. Most are roughly two weeks, and if you find a good one they are phenomenal. I did this about that age with my pup when I was in a similar situation and she absolutely loved it. Had a blast and came back with much, much better manners. She's also extremely social now as well.

 

[maame]

@brokenwithout I wouldn't leave my baby. In your case cutting the trip short is def tthe the right thing..if there is a 100% percent trustworthy place for the baby if you gotta go you gotta go.

 

[imagebeastmarkbeast]

@brokenwithout Why didn’t you wait to get a dog until you returned?

 

[fuchsia]

@brokenwithout Yes, cut the vacation short. Can you get a sitter to stay with the puppy in your home?

 

[proverbs3v5]

@brokenwithout I don’t think you need to worry too much about this disrupting your bond or creating separation anxiety, but you should make sure you feel really good about wherever you leave him. If something traumatic happened the first time you went away that could do some long term damage. The place where I board my dog offers 24/7 live webcam access so I can always check in and make sure she’s doing okay. Personally in this situation I would see if you could get someone (probably a friend or family member) to stay at your home and care for your dog so he can stay in his familiar environment.

 

[akilles]

@brokenwithout Go. I left for a week when my pup was 3 months old- he was with someone who knew his care and training and maintained that standard. He was pleased to see us but not stressed by our absence or return, and doesn’t have separation anxiety.

Depends on your dogs nature though.

 

[nottoosure]

@brokenwithout I'd leave with a trusted friend. Start with small visits. Then escalate to an overnight stay. You could even go for having a trusted friend stay at your house instead. The pup wouldn't feel so uprooted.

I actually dog sat for a pup once. He was far more at home and barely noticed the difference. Cute little guy

 

[agoodfriend]

@brokenwithout Your dog will be fine. Go on your trip. If he is good with other dogs find a decent daycare/boarding. He’ll have fun and you’ll have fun. You’re thinking way too much about this.

 

[castheantelope]

@brokenwithout You don’t have to cancel your trip, but if you can, have your friends stay at your place to watch the pup.